Earth mover



March 21, 1961 c. NICKERSON EARTH MOVER s sheets-sheet 1 Filed June 5, 1957 March 21, 1961 c. E. NlcKERsoN EARTH MOVER 8 Sheets-SheecI 2 Filed June 5. 1957 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS C. E. NICKERSON EARTH MOVER March 21, 1961 Filed June 5, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Glane/nef. /ML'c'e/son INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

@A Se March 21, 1961 c. E. NICKERsoN EARTH MOVER ATTORNEYS ,s NQ l@ 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 March 21, 1961 c. E. NlcKERsoN EARTH MOVER 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Clarence ./lfL'c/fe/s on INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Q il Filed June 5. 1957 March 2l, 1961 c. E. NICKERsoN 2,975,535

EARTH MovER Filed Jun 5, 1957 a sheets-sheet e C lare/ice E c/er'son INVENTOB BY mdwo.

ATTORNEYS March 21, 1961 c. E. NlcKERsoN 2,975,535

EARTH MOVER Filed June 5, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Z d. Lf l /8 6 l 4. 7.. f 40 U mm/ mm ww March 21, 1961 C. E. NICKERSON 2,975,535

EARTH MOVER Filed June 5. 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 73 l//Uz 23 76, 2/4 ma L1.- /Of Clare/1 ce E Mic-kersen,

INVENTOR BY Maw-Vd- ATTOHNEYS Unite` States Patent EARTH MOVER Clarence E. Nickerson,` 1224 W. Yale Ave., Flint, Mich.

Filed .lune 5, 1957, Ser. No. 663,842 a claims. (ci. :r1-4129) This` invention relates to an earth mover, and more particularly to a trailer device adapted to be associated with a towing vehicle for the plowing, loosening and transporting ofearth, gravel, shale, rock or other similar material.` i

t. A primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved device of this nature which may be readily attached to a towing vehicle of relatively low power and small size, such for example as a conventional jeep, and which may be sold at low cost and economically employed forininor earth moving and dislodging projects. `An additional object of this invention is the provision of` a trailer device of` this `nature having hydraulically actuated mechanism, which may be actuated from the towing vehicle, which is provided with` a plurality of movable bodysections,fwherebyone section may be lowered for employment as a scraper or thelike, and subsequently elevated for transportation of the material. "An additional object of the invention is" the provision of a `device of this nature wherein sections are separately movable, in such manner that both sections Vmay be elevated at the same angle, whereby material contained in the body may be dumped.

,n A further object of this invention is the provision of a deviceof this nature having means associated therewith in the nature of a plow point, which may be employed for dislodging or digging the earth prior to removal thereof.

,A further specific object of .this invention is the provision of such a device which may have mechanism associated therewith for the lifting and scattering of granular material such as pea rock or the like.

shown in towing or moving position, in association with a towing vehicle, only a fragment of the latter being disclosed.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing certain of the parts in dilerent positions of adjustment for dislodging or scraping earth or the like.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure l, but showing the parts in still a different `position of adjustment, for dumping a load contained in the body.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the structures of Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 isa side View, partially in elevation and partially in section, showing a modified form of construction in one position of adjustment.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line '7*7 of Figure l as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 8 is an end elevational view of the structure of Figure l, taken from the rear, on an enlarged scale, certain concealed portions thereof being indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken substanj indicated bythe arrows.

Figure 12 is a a fragmentary side sec-tional view of a constructional detail disclosingrthe, connection between the towed vehicle` and the towing Vehicle. e

Figure 13 is a sectional view taken substantially along e the line 13-13 of Figure 12, and

An additional specific'object of the invention is the f provision of an improved hitch means between the earth moving trailer and the` towing vehicle, whereby the device may be readily disposed at a desired angle without strain on or disruption of the driving mechanism. n Still another object of the invention is the provision of a relativelylight weight inexpensive earth moving device which is particularly adapted for minor operation in general excavating, for removing dirt from driveways, approaches and sidewalks, for grading and levelling lawns, for general landscaping, for cleaning out ditches and culverts, and` analogous operations, which are costly and time consuming to effect by manual labor, and yet relatively minor in nature so as not to require the services of heavy duty earth moving equipment.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all of which will be more fully pointed out hereinafter, -andshown in the accompanying drawings, wherein there are disclosed preferred embodiments of this inventive concept. e

1 Other objects in part will be obvious, and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

; 4In the drawings:

. Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one form of Figure 14 is a sectionalview taken substantially along the line 14-14 of Figure 12.

Similar reference characters'refer to similar parts throughout the `several views of the drawings.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, there is generally indicated at20 a towed vehicle or earth mover embodying features of the instant inventive concept. The device comprises a base frame, formed of longitudinally extending spacedl beams 2,1, which support a body portion, including a fixed front section 22, a movable center section 23, and a rear section 24. The forward end of the supporting I beams 21 are upwardly inclined as indicated at 25, adjacent` the front edge of stationary section 22, and extend forwardly as converging beams 26, as best shown inFigure 4, and terminate in a forwardly extending tongue 27, which carries a reinforcing block 28, from which dependingly extends a vehicle, generally indicated at 33, of any desired type,

earthmover embodying features .of the instant invention but which preferably comprises a conventional Willys conventional four wheel drive jeep. The fifth wheel 31 is supported on a stand 34, contained within the body of the towing vehicle.

The jeep 33 includes a power take-off 35 of conventional` design, which incorporates a differential mechanism 36, which terminates in a rearwardly extending arm or driveshaft 37, the purpose of which will be more fully described hereinafter. n

Suitable hydraulic pump mechanism 38 isalso contained within the body 32, and includes a source `of power 39 for drivingthe same.A Suitable fluid inlet lines 40 extend from any desired source of iluid supply, such as a supply tank (not shown). i j Having reference `now to the body` portion V20 supi f 3 ported on I beams 21, front section 22 includes a rearwardly inclined front face 41, side portions 42, and a bottom plate 45' as well as a.forwardly extending lip 43,

the ,assembly beingfixedly supported on I beams 21. TheV section'23 includes side walls 44, and afbottom'plate 45, which is divided centrally by an inverted U-shaped protective channel 46,` the purpose of whichfwill be more fully disclosed hereinafter. Y

As best shownjin Figure Vthe channel 46 is rearwardly inclinedin adownward direction, and is provided at its forward end withrinclined side edges 47. v

A pair of `hydrauliccylinders 50 is mounted on and extend upwardlymfrom I beams y 21 exteriorly of the side walls 44, and positioned adjacent the forward edges of these side walls.V Eachcylinder 50 is -provided with a piston rod 51, which terminates in a head 52, to which is pivotally secured as by pivotp53'one end of a link 54. The other end of each link 54 is pivoted as at 55 to an upper portion of each sidewall 44. vActuation of piston rodY 51 and cylinder 50is provided by means of a fluid connection 56 extending from each lcylinder 50 to pump mechanism 38, the conduits 56 preferably extending interiorly of the side walls of I beams 21, and their associated portions 25 and 26. l

Longitudinally extending frame members 67 extend along either side of the multi-part body comprised of sections 22, 23. and 24, and are normally supported on the upper ilanges of I beams r21, `the frame members 67 being connected Yat their rear extremities by the transverse beam 68. The forward ends of members 67 are pivotally secured as by a pin or axle 69 transversely across the tops of I beams 21, at their juncture with upwardly inclined portions 25. Suitable supporting lugs 70 carried by I beams 21are provided for this purpose.

The section 23 is pivoted as on a pivot axle 71, which extends from brackets 72 depending beneath each of frame members 67, the arrangement being such that by appropriate activation of hydraulic` cylinders 50 the device may be moved from carrying position, as shown in Figure 1 to a downwardly tilted or scraping position, as

' shown in Figure 2, by rotation about the shaft or axle 71.

Correspondingly when the frame members 67`are moved to lifted position for rotation about pivot 69, in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter, the parts may assume the position as shown in Figure 3.

In certain positions of adjustment of the device, the cylinders 50 are tilted with the respect to their supporting I beams-21. Accordingly the mounting therefore comprises pivots 75 secured in cups 76 carried by supporting brackets 77, in order that the cylinders 50 and their associated pistons 51 may' be appropriately tilted. Y

At an intermediate point on the frame comprised of I beams 21, and on opposite sides of the body are a second aligned pair of hydraulic cylinders 78, each of which contains a piston rod 79, connected to a head 80 by means of a pivot 81,VV the pivot 81 being connected to a. link 82 which extends into pivotal association with the stud or axle 71. 'I'he pistonrods 79, are adapted, when actuated, to raise the frame members 67 to the position as disclosed in Figure 3.

, The vcylinders 78 are also mounted for tiltable movement on pivots 83 mounted in cups 84 canried on mounting plates 85 carried by the I beams 21.

Hydraulic ud is supplied to the cylinders 78 by means of fluid supply lines 86, in a manner similar to the previously described supply lines 56. 'A The rear section 24 includes side walls 87 and a rear wall 88, all mounted in any suitable manner on the longitudinally extending frame members 67, as shown in Fig. 10, the forward edges of sidewalls 87 being forwardly inclined as at 89,to overlap the rear portionsof the sidewalls 44.

The wheels 94 include conventional shock absorbing mechanism 95, and are adapted to extend into wheel wells 96 formed in the body of rear section 24. The wheel wells 96 are formed with rounded edges and upper and end walls in order to prevent the accumulation of dirt or gravel therearound. Arcuate I' beams 97 underlie the bottom portion 90, for supporting the same, and are carrier by leaf springs 98, one end of each of Ithe I beams The bottom wall of rear section2'4 is arranged as u 97 being secured to a suitable transverse supper-ting beam (not shown) having its ends secured to the opposite I beams 21, while the other end seats in the channel of an inwardly facing channel beam which extends across the rear of the body at the ends of I beams 21. As shown in Fig. 10 multiple leaf springs 98 are positioned beneath the arcuate I beams 97, with the opposite ends of the uppermost leaf of each spring secured to the lower flange of the I beam and rest, in their depressed position, between the points of attachment on the rear axle 93. These springs aid the shock absorber mechanisrns 95 in cushioning the descent of the rear body section 24, as well as providing a smoother travelling vehicle.

A third pair of opposed cylinders 101 is positioned adjacent the rear of section 24, and have extensible therefrom piston rods 102 which engage heads 103, pivoted as at,104 to links 105. Cylinders 101 are mounted on pivots 106 in cups 107 carried by mounting brackets 108. Fluid is vsupplied to cylinders 101 through hydraulic lines 109, and in operation the pistons 102 serve to extend the rear of the body including framemembers 67 upwardly from the positions of either Figures l or 2 to the extended position of Figure 3, when it is desired to dump the material from the body.

Referring back YtoY the diiferential 92, power is supplied to the sarne through a drive shaft 110, which extends to the forward end of the body and is connected as by means of the pin 111 in a clevis 112 at the end of a rectangular sleeve 113. The sleeve 113 contains, as best shown in Figure 12, a relatively heavy tension spring 116, one end of which terminates in an eye 117 secured to an eye 118 carried bythe end of drive shaft 110. The other4 end of -spring 116 is providedwith an eye v119, which-engages a suitable loop 120 in the end of a rectangular "bar member 121. The member 121 terminates in a clevis 122, which is secured by means of a pin 123 to the end of drive shaft 37. Power is thus transmitted from the power take oi 3S of the tractor through the drive shaft 110 to the diierential `92 for driving, through axles 93, rear wheels 94. The shaft 37 extends through the rear wall of the body 32 of the jeep 33, to connect with universal joint 36, through an elongated slot 125', asbest shown in Fig. 11, the arrangement being such that the earth mover body may thus swivelly connect with the body of the jeep,` to insure an even power drive Vregardless of the relative angular disposition of the parts. By virtue of the spring connection previously discussed together with the pivotal mountings, the effective length of the drive shaft may be extended, Vwhen necessary Vdue to the relative angularity of the parts, without disrupting the drive in any way. Y Y

As previously pointed out the jeep 33`is of the conventional four wheel drive type, and is provided with rear driving wheels 33a, to which power is supplied through a differential 33b from the driving motor of the jeep. The shield 46 previously noted in section 23 asextending longitudinally of the central portion thereof is adapted to overlie the drive shaft 110 in such manner to accommodateV the'same when the center section 23 is tilted downwardly to the position shown in Figure 2, to serve as a scraping element.

The forward end of vthe earth mover carries a plow shank 125 pivotally mounted on a bolti 126 through inturned parallel flanges on the bottom plate 45', as shown .by Fig. 7 ofthe drawings and having a plow point 127,

which adapted to 'be extended. into. ground engaging As best shown. in Figure 4 pivoted horizontal baille plates 130 are provided, pivoted as at 131, topside walls 44 of the movable center section 23, which baffle plates are swung laterally by means of pistons 132 operable in cylinders 133 which are supplied with fluid as by lines 134 to provide deflectors when the device is in the ground scraping position as shown in Figure 2.

From the foregoing the operation of the device should now 'be readily understood. With the parts in the positions as shown in Figmre l, the device is in normal travelling position, as for convey-ing a load of dirt, gravel, or the like. When it is desired to employ the device as a scraper or digger the plow point 127 may be lowered by means `of cylinder 128 to the position shown in Figure 2, and simultaneously pistons 51 fully retracted in cylinders 50, so that, through the links 54 the front edge of center section 23 is lowered to the position of Figure 2 Ito act as a scraper blade, forcing earth or other material to ybe removed rearwardly into rear section 24. When the center section 23 is substantially filled, the actuation of cylinders 50 wil-l cause, through piston rods 51, section 23 to be returned to level position, whereupon the dirt may be removed to any suitable locality. When it is desired to dump the dirt, cylinders 78 and 101 are activated with fluid to actuate the piston 102, and the piston 79 travelling freely in the cylinder 78, and 79 to elevate the entire assembly, through the pivoted frame members 67 to the position shown in Figure 3, whereupon the load may be dumped. Obviously the vehicle will be moved continuously to spread or otherwise disseminate the dumped material. If desired the rear wall 88 of section 24 may `be in the form of a tail gate, and by actuation of pistons 51 the forward end of section 23 may be raised, additional lift being provided through the piston rod 79, to dump the load rearwardly.

It is -to be understood that actuation of all the hyhydraulic cylinders may be effected by means of suitable control valves of conventional design which may be located in any convenient position, as for example on the dashboard of the vehicle.

A modified form of construction is disclosed in Figure 6, wherein there is provided a towing vehicle 33, provided with a power take off shaft 37, connected as by stub shaft 121 and sleeve 113 to the drive shaft 110 of a vehicle 20a which is provided with I beams 21 and frame beams 67a pivoted as on pivots 69a to raise a center section 23a and associated rear section (not shown). All of the previously described elements are substantially identical to that of the foregoing modification, and the vehicle 20a also includes forwardly extending inwardly converging angle irons 26a, terminating in a tongue 28a which carries a pin 30a adapted to be engaged in a conventional fifth wheel 31 carried by the towing vehicle body 32. The front section 22a of this modification is however provided with a pair of angularly spaced horizontally disposed aligned shafts 140 and v141 which extend between the opposed side walls 42a of front section 22a. Shafts 140 and 141 carry drive pulleys or drive sprockets 142 and 143 respectively, about which there is rotatably mounted a lifting conveyor 145, provided with lifting lugs 146. The assembly s rotated by means of a suitable motor 147 of any desired conventional type, the lifting llugs 146 are adapted to position to `pass`closely adjacent th "extending forward edge 148` of section 23a.

The lifting conveyor discharges onto an inclined portion 150 at the forward end of section 22a, where the lifted material is raised by a screw conveyor 151 to the top of a tubular shaft 152. The housing 152 is provided with a` rotatable guide trough 153, whereby the material raised from the body of the trailer earth moving vehicle 20a may be deposited on either side thereof in accordance with the position of the guide trough 153. This particularconstruction is adapted primarily for the distribution` of granular` materialsuch as crushed stone, pea rock, gravel or thelike, and is adapted for the moving distribution of such material contained in the body 20a. The hydraulic actuating mechanism for the body 20a is substantially identical to that disclosed in the preceeding modification, with the exception of the fact that forward cylinders 50 and their associated elements are omitted, since in this construction the forward edge 148 of body section 23a is not employed as a scraper.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there is herein provided an improved earth mover, particularly adapted for light duty, which is readily adaptable to a variety of uses and purposes, and which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment herein before shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A earth mover comprised by a frame including parallel side beams, means for connecting said frame to a towing vehicle, longitudinally extending frame members pivotally mounted on the respective side beams for swinging movement in vertical alignment with respect to the latter, a forward body section mounted on said frame in front of said longitudinally extending frame members, a rear body section mounted on said longitudinally extending frame members, a center body section pivotally mounted on said longitudinally extending frame members in vertically swingable relation with respect to the latter and adapted to align with the forward and rear body sections when the longitudinally extending frame members are in the horizontal position, a pair of fluid pressure cylinders mounted on the said side beams and having pistons therein, and linkage connecting said pistons to the pivotally mounted 'center body section for lowering the latter to operate as a scraper.

2. A earth mover comprised by a frame including parallel side beams, means for connecting said frame to a towing vehicle, longitudinally extending frame members pivotally mounted on the respective side beams for swinging movement in vertical alignment with respect to the latter, a forward body section mounted on said frame in front of said longitudinally extending frame members, a rear body section mounted on said longitudinally extending frame members, a center body section pivotally mounted on said longitudinally extending frame members in vertically swingable relation with respect to the latter and adapted to align with the forward and rear body sections when the longitudinally extending frame members are in the horizontal position, a pair of fluid pressure cylinders mounted on said side beams and having pistons therein, and linkage connecting said pistons to the longitudinally extending frame members for raising the center and rear body sections to dump the load.

3. An earth mover comprised by a frame including parallel side beams, means for connecting said frame to a towing vehicle, longitudinally extending frame members pivotally mounted on the respective side beams for swinging movement in vertical alignment with respect to the latter, a forward body section mounted on said frame in front of said longitudinally extending frame members, a rear body section mounted on said longitudinally extending frame members, a center' body section pivotally mounted on said longitudinally extending frame members in swingable relation with respect to the latter and adapted to align with the forward and rear body sections when the longitudinally extending frame members are in the horizontal position, a lrst pair of fluid pressure cylinders mounted on said side beams and having pistons therein, linkage connecting said pistons to the pivotally mounted center body section for lowering the latter to operate as 'a scraper, a second pair of fluid pressure cylinders mounted on said side beams and having References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,464,098 Pittlick Mar., 8, 1949 2,730,822 Lindbeck Jan. 17, 1.956

FOREIGN PATENTS Canada Oct. 31, 1950 

